Improvement in fork-guards



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY DUNCAN PRESTON CUNNINGHAM, OE BUEY HOUSE, ALvEEsTOKE,

ENGLAND.

IMPRVEMNT IN FORK-GUARDS.

p Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 129,796, dated July 23, 1872.

To all whom it may concern:

A Be it known that I, HENRY DUNCAN PEEs- TON CUNNINGHAM, of Bury House, Alverstoke, England, have invented or discovered a certain new` nd usefulv Improvement in Fork- Guards; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawing and to the letters and iigures marked thereon-that isto say:

My invention consists in ,constructing the guards of forks so that they shall come up to their guard by the action of a balance-weight 4 ior counterpoise. For this purpose I fit the guard so that it moves upon an axis upon the fork, and I prolong the guard to the under side of the fork, or on the upper side toward the handle, sufficiently and with such an amount of substance, or otherwise arrange it so as to obtain the action of a counterpoise to the upper part or guard proper. Thus, when the fork is taken up for use the guard at once flies ormoves up ready for service, being, in fact, selfacting. When the fork' is placed upon the table the guard shuts down, and the balance-weight, if below the fork, acts asa l rest and keeps the prongs off the table.

Figure l of the annexed drawing is a side view of a carving-fork which is provided with a guard constructed according to my invention.4 Fig. 2 is a plan View of the guard detached.

A is the fork, the stem of which is formed with a vertical aperture to receive the guard.

Bis the guard proper, which is attached to the fork by a pin at B', and is prolonged uuderneath the fork by a piece or part, C, which forms a balanceweight or counterpoise to the guard B. Thus, when the fork is taken up for use the weight G causes the guard B to iiy up to its guard, as shown by dotted lines.

When the fork is laid down the weight C forms a rest, keeping the prongs clear of the table. D is a nger-piece for the purpose of keeping the guardin position by means of the linger in case. it should be necessary to raise the prongs of the fork much above the handle while carving.

Figs and 4 represent a modified form of my forkguard. Here the balance-weight C is applied above the stem of the fork, forming a back continuation of the guard B. The Weight C is so shaped that it can be conveniently pressed down by the finger, or grasped by the finger and thumb for the purpose of steadying the guard or keeping it in position if the handle-end of the fork should be overmuch raised. If preferred, the aperture or recess for the guard in the stem of the fork may be dispensed with, the guard being in this case made to embrace the stem.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Let-V 1. In combination with the fork-guard B, the Weighted arm or counterpoise C, whether arranged above the handle or below, and forming a rest therefor, substantially as and for the purpose shown and described.

2. In combination with the guard B and counterpoise C, I claim the finger-piece D, as and for the purpose set forth.

H. D. P. CUNNINGHAM.

Witnesses:

Riom). REEVES WILKINSON,

Solicitor, Gosport. JAS. R. VEITCH, Gosport. 

